Paradise
by Slivering
Summary: In a moment of playful teasing, Kikumaru and Momo throw Ryoma into a pool. The joke quickly goes awry when they realize Ryoma can't swim. Friendship fic.


**Author's Notes: **Probably the worst thing I've written in a very long time. Most of it doesn't even make sense. My apologies.

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**Paradise**

* * *

Despite being on several cruise ships in his lifetime, Echizen Ryoma still savored the relaxation it offered. The sun was mounted high up beyond the clouds, and it warmed his face and body as he lay out on a fold-out beach chair in the center of the cruise. The waves crashed against the boat in a lulling rhythm.

Honestly, he was having the time of his life.

Nothing could beat this...

Except maybe tennis, but...

Ryoma curled up comfortably against the chair. But really, even tennis paled in comparison to lying out in the warm sun and doing absolutely nothing.

"Ow!"

Ryoma scrunched his face as strong fingers pinched his nose. He yanked away from the griping pinch and inched away from Momoshiro Takashi whose grin was far too wide for his face. "Momo-senpai," he growled. "What do you think you're doing?"

Momo arched his brow mischievously. "What do you mean, what am I doing?"

Ryoma rubbed his nose and glared. Before he could retort, he felt his favourite white cap cover his head sideways, blocking the sun rays. He jerked his head up to see Kikumaru decked out in a blue-and-white striped t-shirt with a sea shell necklace to combine the summery look. "You can't be taking naps like that, Ochibi," the older boy reprimanded. "You're on an expensive cruise ship, and you have to enjoy it as much as you can!"

Before Ryoma could scowl and tell them to fuck off, Kikumaru yanked his shirt off of him. With a yelp, Ryoma fell backwards onto the fold-out chair.

Great, now he was half-naked. He shot daggers at them.

"But we came here to play tennis-"

They would have none of it.

Kikumaru wrapped his arms around his neck and Momo scooped him up by the legs. Ryoma struggled to free himself from their grip, but they seemed intent on throwing him into the pool beside him. But they wouldn't _actually _throw him in, right? Ryoma's eyes widened, and he kicked Momo in the stomach in an attempt to free himself.

"Ow!" Momo whined. "Don't be a brat."

"Yeah, Ochibi," They swung him forward a few times in preparation. "We're helping you have fun."

Holy shit. They were _actually _going to throw him in.

"One," Momo and Kikumaru said in unison.

"Wait," Ryoma yelped.

"Two!"

"I can't - "

"Three!"

"Swi-ahhh!" Ryoma felt the wind rush through him as he was released from their grip. His body collided into cool, deep blue water. Most people probably would have just swam up to the surface, but Ryoma had never learned to swim. He blamed his father who had once tried to self-teach him how to swim but had ended up getting distracted which had resulted in Ryoma nearly drowning to death.

But anyway. He couldn't swim. And he didn't even have a tennis racquet.

So Ryoma did the only thing any sane non-swimmer would do in the deep depths of a pool. He panicked.

Water bubbled up his nose and mouth. His chest grew increasingly tight.

He tried to somehow flail up to the surface, but it wasn't working. He tried to yell, but it resulted in nothing but water filling up his lungs. _I am going to die at the young age of twelve, _he thought, while still internally panicking, while still trying to flail to the surface without success,_I am seriously going to die. All my blessings go out to Karupin._

Meanwhile...

Momo and Kikumaru stared at the blank, pristine surface of the water.

"He's sure taking his time," Momo rubbed his neck.

Kikumaru blinked. "What's he doing down there? Trying to hold his breath?"

Momo chuckled nervously. "Or maybe he's trying to trick us into thinking he can't swim or something."

Kikumaru laughed, equally as anxious. "That's - that's _ridiculous. _Of _course _Ochibi can swim! He's fabulous at all sports."

Momo swallowed hard. "Obviously."

Another moment passed, and nobody broke through the surface.

Momo glanced over at Kikumaru. "You know, before we threw him in, he was saying he _can't_...you don't think he meant...swim, right?"

Kikumaru paled. "Of course not."

Momo stared at the water, and wiped a sweaty hand against his shorts. "Kikumaru-senpai...I think..."

The red-head hesitantly met his eyes. "Ochibi can't swim, can he?"

They both just looked at each other. A moment later, adrenaline and panic surged through their bodies, and both boys launched into the water after Ryoma without a second thought. Momo was distraught with panic as he saw Ryoma's faint figure descending into the pool. _We killed him, _he thought, horrified, _I killed my best friend._

Kikumaru was a little more optimistic. _Hang on Ochibi..._ they reached Ryoma's figure, and much like before, Momo took him by the legs while Kikumaru heaved him up by the neck and collarbone. Momo could barely make it to the surface because he was certain he had killed Ryoma. It wasn't helping that the boy wasn't moving.

When they reached the surface, Kikumaru laid Ryoma's head against his chest. "Ochibi," he whispered. "Wake up!"

The boy didn't move.

Momo rapped Ryoma's forehead with his knuckles. "C'mon, Echizen. This isn't f-funny."

Still, no movement.

Kikumaru and Momo exchanged looks.

"Do you think we should do CPR?" Kikumaru finally whispered. His eyes were distraught. "I mean, what if we killed Ochibi?"

Momo's breaths were ragged. "Lie him down."

Kikumaru carefully laid down Ryoma's body onto the ground behind the pool. Ryoma had gone pale, and his hair was a wet mop sticking onto his forehead. Momo crouched over him, and fidgeted anxiously. "Kikumaru-senpai, I learned how to do CPR once, but if I do it wrong..." the violet eyes were filled with panic. "I'm probably going to end up killing him, I just know it."

Kikumaru bit his lip, and resisted wailing "We killed Ochibi!" out to the whole cruise ship. Instead, he took a deep breath, and positioned his hands to the center of Ryoma's chest. "So, Momo, do I just push down now?" he asked, his nerves shot. "I've never done this before, nya."

Momo gnawed on his lower lip. "I think you give him two breaths."

Nodding, Kikumaru tilted Ryoma's chin down, and moved his mouth close to his to apply two breaths. He awkwardly inhaled and exhaled, his eyes heavy with tears. _Wake up, Ochibi - wake up! _When Ryoma didn't move, Kikumaru started to give him chest pumps, although he was 99.9% sure he was doing them wrong.

"Uh, Kikumaru-senpai...I think you're doing it too lightly..." Momo said.

Kikumaru's eyes became wilder. "I don't want to hurt Ochibi!"

"I know, but - "

"Nothing's happening!"

The two boys stared quite horrifically at Ryoma's unconscious figure; their eyes were sullen and tears were quickly gathering in their eyes. Momo leaned down against Ryoma's chest, and was relieved to hear the shallow pulse of his heart. "He's still alive," Momo said quietly. "Do you think we should call emergency services?"

Kikumaru was teary-eyed. "Yes." Sniff. "We'll be filed as murderers though. They'll put us in jail."

"We deserve it," Momo said. "We attempted to kill a twelve-year old.

Both boys were thoroughly exhausted by the sudden mess they'd gotten themselves into, and were too stunned to decide what to do. They knew they should probably get the first aid people, but they were too busy staring at Ryoma with complete guilt to do anything further. "I killed my best friend," Momo said. "What kind of person am I?"

"No, Momo!" Kikumaru cried out. "I'm the older one. I should have been more responsible!"

"I'm his best friend. I should have known he didn't know how to swim."

"I'm the senpai."

"So am I."

"But I'm _your _senpai-"

There was a sudden cough. "Senpai-tachi, can you shut up?"

They both jerked their heads around to see Ryoma coughing immensely, sputtering water. He heaved himself up with a grunt, and glared scornfully at his two senpai. "Calm down," he snapped. "You didn't kill me." The boy sat up, and took a deep breath. He scowled down at the pristine water. "But you nearly did."

They both just blinked and stared at him as he got up and put on his shirt over his head. Momo was too stunned to move, and Kikumaru couldn't get the courage to suffocate Ryoma with a hug. So they simple stared. They watched as he brushed himself off, glared at them once more, before plopping down comfortably on his fold-out chair.

Momo and Kikumaru stared open-mouthed at him.

"But-"

"How-"

"Ochibi-"

"-resurrected-"

"-from the dead!"

Ryoma peered down at them sleepily. "Mada mada dane, senpai."

Then, he closed his eyes and proceeded to nap.


End file.
